Eight Orthodox Rabbis from New York spent Tuesday in Woodburn harvesting wheat crops that will be used to make matza – a kosher staple during the Jewish holiday, Passover.

Every year the group of Rabbis travel more than ten hours to purchase wheat from local farmer, Rex Coomer. This year, they’re buying seven semi-truck loads full of the grain to take back to New York.

To make the crops kosher the Rabbis first inspect the grain and equipment to make sure they measure up to their strict standards.
New York Rabbi Jacob Tyrnauer says, “To cut, to harvest the wheat it should be dry. It should not be damaged. It should not be sprouted. No water is allowed to be with the wheat, because it could grow.”

The first several bushels of grain harvested are not used, because impurities could still be in the equipment. If any other flaws with the equipment or grain is discovered, none of the grain will be used in kosher foods.

In a continuously supervised process, the wheat harvested Tuesday will eventually be made into flour and mixed with water to make kosher matza. The finished product is shipped to countries all over the world and eaten by hundreds of thousands of people during Passover.